Wisconsin football transfer emerging as difference maker for defense in fall camp
Wisconsin football edge rusher Mason Reiger is making noise in fall camp and could be the pass rushing spark the Badgers defense has lacked.
Sometimes in football, the story isn’t just about who you add. It’s about whether they can actually make it to the starting line. And for Wisconsin football, Mason Reiger is already proving that not only can he get there, but he might just be the guy who helps tilt the field on Saturdays.
Reiger was the first transfer portal addition of the offseason for Luke Fickell and his coaching staff, and he wasn’t some under-the-radar dart throw. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound edge rusher from Hoffman Estates, Illinois, was one of the most productive defensive players in the ACC in 2023 before an offseason knee surgery wiped out his 2024 season at Louisville.
The Badgers pursued him aggressively, beating out Indiana, Wake Forest, Ole Miss, and Georgia Tech for his commitment. He was expected to be a plug-and-play force off the edge for Wisconsin.
But then came the setback. Reiger underwent surgery in the spring to correct a lingering right leg injury, limiting him to essentially zero live reps in his new defense. For a program coming off a season in which it ranked 128th out of 134 teams in havoc rate, produced just 13 tackles for loss (worst in FBS), and recorded a mere 17 sacks, that was less than ideal.
Wisconsin's staff knew precisely why they targeted him: in 2023, Reiger recorded 22 total tackles, 6.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, and 22 pressures despite missing time. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted an 80.1 overall defensive grade, including an 80.8 pass-rushing grade and a 70.5 mark as a run defender. He could line up as a traditional outside linebacker or slide down to the defensive line in certain looks, providing versatility the Badgers' front seven sorely lacked.
Still, there was no guarantee that version of Reiger would ever see the field. Fast forward to the first week of fall camp at UW-Platteville, and the conversation around Reiger has shifted. Dramatically.
He’s showing signs of tenacity. He’s winning one-on-ones, which is something Wisconsin’s edges have struggled to do in Mike Tressel’s scheme. He’s flashing the burst and violent hand usage that made him such a coveted transfer in the first place. And, maybe most importantly, Reiger is providing an energy that is rubbing off on his position group.
“There’s a lot of Masons out here,” Fickell joked. “Mason Reiger brings a different energy. He came here injured and really didn’t go through spring ball. We tried to be smart to get him healthy before we started to evaluate him or put him in situations. I think our people have done a great job. I think Matt [Mitchell] and the training crew and the doctors have done an unbelievable job at being smart with him.
"Guys like Mason, you’ve got to save them from themselves, because they know one speed. Our ability to continue to give him what he needs to be ready, but not overdo it out here, because in five or six days, he’s already shown us he can give us something that’s maybe even more than what you see on the field. There’s an energy that’s contagious.”
The truth is, Reiger is here because of that injury history. If not for the missed 2024 season, he might have been priced out of Wisconsin’s recruiting range in the portal. That reality is both the gamble and the golden opportunity. If he can stay healthy, Reiger could be the kind of game-wrecking presence the Badgers haven’t had on the edge in a while.
“If you want to be different from everyone else, you have to do things differently,” Reiger said. “You have to do extra workouts that others question. You have to run so hard at practice that people ask you why you’re trying so hard. You have to study more film, eat better food, and carry yourself in a way that average people just won’t understand. And that’s fine because you aren’t trying to be like average people.”
And they’re going to need him. The schedule in 2025 is littered with top-tier offensive lines, including Oregon, Ohio State, Alabama, and Michigan. Winning football games on scheme alone isn’t going to cut it, and it's not likely to happen. You need guys who can beat a tackle without help. You need a pass rush that can get home with four. That’s been the missing ingredient for the Badgers' defense under Tressel for various reasons.
Reiger’s arrival also changes the math in Wisconsin’s outside linebacker room. Darryl Peterson returns as a multi‑year starter and has added weight to play more with his hand in the dirt. Big‑bodied edge additions from the portal, such as projected starter Corey Walker and Micheal Garner, are waiting in the wings and are expected to play significant roles in helping the Badgers' front seven set the edge and stop the run. Aaron Witt is back in a new role. Sebastian Cheeks flashed in limited snaps. And with an athlete like Tyreese Fearbry, who brings bend and explosiveness, there’s no shortage of potential options to see the field.
But there wasn’t a proven outside backer who could consistently win off the corner when it mattered. Now, there’s at least a candidate.
“The great thing we’ve got is some different bodies, so it’s not just one guy getting worn down," Fickell said. "Nobody’s getting overworked because we’re two‑and‑a‑half, three deep with players who can roll with the ones and still give us what we need. They’re doing a really good job. I think they’re competing, but that natural competition is there, and having enough guys changes some things up, and they’ve been noticeable."
The depth Fickell talked about is real. Wisconsin has multiple bodies that can rotate without falling off a cliff in production. That variety of skill sets should also allow this defense to match up better personnel‑wise and throw different looks at opposing offenses, while having enough depth to withstand the grind of a college football season, where depth is king.
But what they’ve lacked is that singular, havoc‑wreaking presence. Reiger has the skill set to be that guy.
For now, the priority is managing his workload. As Fickell noted, “You’ve got to save them from themselves.” Reiger plays one speed, and pushing too hard, too soon could undo months of vigorous rehab. But early returns suggest the Wisconsin Badgers staff may have found what they needed.
It’s still fall camp. The season hasn’t started. The injury history is a legitimate concern. But the first handful of practices in Platteville have shown that if Reiger’s knee holds up, Wisconsin's pass rush could finally have the difference-maker it’s been searching for. And with a new‑look defensive line featuring significantly more size thanks to the portal, the Badgers should be able to free up their inside and outside linebackers to make a lot more plays on the ball and in the backfield this fall.
If that happens, the conversation about Wisconsin’s defense in 2025 will look a whole lot different because last season wasn't up to the standard.
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